ai4bharat/Pralekha huggingface dataset:
Prime Minister's Office
PM addresses Silver Jubilee Foundation Day Function of NHRC
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today addressed the Silver Jubilee Foundation Day function of the National Human Rights Commission .
He said that in the last two and a half decades, NHRC has contributed to nation building, by becoming the voice of the deprived and the oppressed. He said that the protection of human rights has been an important part of our culture. He said that after independence, elements such as an independent and impartial judiciary; an active media; an active civil society, and organizations such as NHRC are in place to protect human rights.
The Prime Minister said that human rights should not be merely a slogan, but also a part of our ethos. He said that in the last four years or so, a lot of serious efforts have been made to improve the quality of life of the poor. He said that the Government’s focus has been to ensure that all Indians have access to the basic needs of human beings. In this context, he mentioned the achievements of schemes such as BetiBachao, BetiPadhao, Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan, Pradhan MantriAwaasYojana, UjjwalaYojana, and SaubhagyaYojana; and the transformation that has been brought about in the lives of the people as a result of these schemes. He said that the construction of more than 9 crore toilets, has ensured sanitation, and a life of dignity, for crores of poor people. He also mentioned the recently launched health assurance initiative – PMJAY – under Ayushman Bharat. He also spoke of the financial inclusion initiatives of the Union Government. He said that the law which provides relief to Muslim women from triple talaq, is also part of this series of steps taken to ensure basic rights for people.
The Prime Minister mentioned steps taken to improve ease of access to justice, such as increasing the number of e-courts, and strengthening of the National Judicial Data Grid. He described Aadhaar is a technology-based empowerment initiative.
The Prime Minister said that the success of these initiatives has also been because of Jan Bhagidaari – public participation. He said that along with awareness of human rights, citizens should also be aware of their duties and responsibilities. He said those who understand their responsibilities, also know how to respect the rights of others.
The Prime Minister said that the role of NHRC is also crucial for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
Ministry of Defence
Online Quiz Competition on Gallantry Awards
 will be conducted by Ministry of Defence in coordination with MyGov.in from 1-10 January 2018. Questions for the quiz will be primarily based on the information available in respect of the gallantry awards and awardees on online portal www.gallantryawards.gov.in - launched on the 15 August 2017. Salient features of the quiz are as under:
· Online quiz on gallantry awards will be conducted by the MyGov at https://quiz.mygov.in during the span of 10 days from 1-10 January, 2018.
· It will be bilingual i.e., in Hindi and English.
· It will be conducted under two categories i.e., one below 18 years of age and another 18 years and above.
· There will be five prizes in each category i.e., 1st, 2nd, 3rd and two consolation prizes. Winners of the quiz will be awarded cash prizes along with trophy in both the categories as under:
o 1st Prize Rs. 1,00,000/-
o 2nd Prize Rs. 75,000/-
o 3rd Prize Rs. 50,000/-
o Consolation Prize  Rs. 15,000/- each
Winners of the quiz will be felicitated during the Republic Day Celebrations - 2018. They will be invited to witness the Republic Day Parade on 26 January and Beating Retreat on 28 January. Arrangements for the stay and transportation of the winners from outside Delhi for five days [25 January  to 29 January ] will be made by the Government. They will be provided 3rd AC rail ticket  for to and fro journey or reimbursed this amount. In case of winners in the category below 18 years, arrangements for hospitality of one guardian will also be made. Further, in case of female winners, arrangements for the hospitality of one companion will also be made.
NAo/Nampi/DK/HS
Prime Minister's Office
PM congratulates Lakshya Sen for winning Gold medal in Badminton at CWG 2022
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has congratulated Lakshya Sen for winning the Gold medal in Badminton at CWG 2022, Birmingham.
In a tweet, the Prime Minister said;
"Elated by the accomplishment of @lakshya_sen. Congratulations on winning the Gold medal in Badminton. He’s played excellently through the CWG and showed outstanding resilience during the Finals. He is India’s pride. Best wishes to him for his future endeavours."
Ministry of Finance
Total GST refund disposed till 16th June, 2018 stands at Rs 41,548 crore; Rs.6,087 crore IGST refund sanctioned in the 2nd Special Refund Fortnight extended from 31st May, 2018 to 16th June, 2018.
In line with the commitment of Government to liquidate all pending GST refunds filed till 30th April, 2018, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs  has successfully concluded the 2nd Special Refund Fortnight extended from 31st May, 2018 to 16th June, 2018.
By the end of 16th June, 2018, Rs.6,087 crore IGST refund has been sanctioned in the refund fortnight. The interesting facts during the second fortnight are  about 1,68,191 shipping bills have been processed  IGST refund claims of about 9,293 exporters have been sanctioned including about 3500 new exporters, whose refunds had been held up, have got their refund sanctioned.
During the period, all field formations of CBIC and States, once again worked hard to provide refund relief to the exporters. Special refund cells manned by experienced staff were put in place throughout the country. Exporter awareness campaigns using both print media and social media were carried out so that the benefit could be extended to maximum exporters. All field formations were tasked to go the extra mile in order to facilitate the sanctioning of refunds. Issues which threw new challenges while sanctioning of refunds were clarified by circulars, advisories etc.
The amount of RFD-01A refund claims received by the Centre as on 30th April, 2018 was Rs. 9,816 crores. The target for the Special Refund Fortnight was to dispose off this amount. During the refund fortnight, an amount of Rs. 1,548 crores was sanctioned by the Centre and Rs. 2,290 crores by the States. This takes the amount of RFD-01A refund claims disposed, as on 16.06.2018, by the Centre to Rs. 10,824 crores and by the States to Rs. 7,287 crores. Thus, the total amount of RFD-01A claims disposed off stands at Rs. 18,111 crores.
In all, Rs 21,142 crore , Rs. 9,923 crore  and Rs 6,997 crore  all totaling Rs 38,062 crore has been sanctioned till 16th June, 2018. Considering the amount of rejected claims, the total IGST disposed is Rs 23,437 Crore, RFD-01A  is Rs10,824 crore, RFD-01A  is Rs 7, 287 crore and total GST refund disposed till 16th June, 2018 stands at Rs 41,548 crore.
The momentum gained during this fortnight would be carried on by all formations where refunds are still pending. The CBIC is dedicated to sanction all the legitimate refund claims of exporters. Efforts are being made to resolve those issues which are still pending. However, the exporters need to ensure that the correct procedure of filing returns, giving accurate information in Shipping Bill and submitting RFD01A application forms to the jurisdictional formations are followed for quick disbursal of their refund claims.
President's Secretariat
PRESIDENT OF INDIA GRACES THE GOLDEN JUBILEE CELEBRATION OF NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu graced and addressed the golden jubilee celebration of the National Federation of the Blind today  in New Delhi.
Speaking on the occasion, the President said that providing a dignified life to the persons with disabilities is the responsibility of the entire society. We have to ensure that they get proper education, employment opportunities, accessible public places, and a safer and better life.
The President urged visually impaired people to believe in their own abilities. She said that in Indian culture, disability has never been considered as a hindrance in acquiring knowledge and achieving excellence. She cited examples of Rishi Ashtavakra and great poet Surdas and stated that "Insight is more important than sight."
The President appreciated the National Federation of the Blind for playing important role in improving the lives of visually impaired people in the last 50 years. She noted that the Federation has raised awareness in the society about the challenges faced by visually impaired people, thereby making the society more inclusive.
The President said that the government is making continuous efforts for empowerment of persons with disabilities through various initiatives. She expressed confidence that the National Federation of the Blind would continue its endeavour in collaboration with the Government and the society towards achieving the goal of overall development and empowerment of the visually impaired people.
Please Click here to see the President's Speech -
Ministry of Culture
Festivals and Fairs Exhibition under Mela Moments Begins at Amrit Udhyan, Rashtrpati Bhawan
Festivals and Fairs Exhibition under Mela Moments was inaugurated today at the Amrit Udhyan, Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi by Shri Rakesh Gupta  and Prof. V Nagdas, . The Inaugural ceremony took place in the gracious presence of Shri Mukesh Kumar  and Shri Rahas Mohanty , participants, and art lovers in a great number.
Around 60 Photographs of all the awardees and 22 best pictures clicked by the jury members have been put on display. The awarded photographs were selected by the panel of the jury comprising of distinguished photographers across the spectrum. The Jury has selected 60 photographs from approximately 11000 entries summited by the common people across the country under Mela Moments Photography Contest under four categories- Mela Vibes, Chatori Gully, Mela Portraits and Mela Stalls.
Inaugurating the Mela Moments Exhibition, Prof. V Nagdas, Chairman, Lalit Kala Akademi, congratulated the participating artists and said, “We will do lot more events in promoting photography and visual arts in future”
The Mela Moments Photography Contest was organized by the Ministry of Culture under Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. Lalit Kala Akademi coordinated the whole contest as a nodal institution all across the country. Monthly winners will get prizes as follows: 1st Prize – Rs 10000/- 2nd Prize – Rs 7500/- 3rd Prize - Rs 5000/- . Out of monthly winners over six months duration, the grand finale prize will be announced soon where 1st Prize of Rs 100000/-, 2nd Prize of Rs 75000/- and 3rd Prize of Rs 50000/- will be given.
The contest was inaugurated by the Minister of State for Culture of India Smt. Meenakshi Lekhi in October 2022. The competition took place for six months from 1st October 2022 to 31st March 2023. Akademi encouraged people to visit their nearest traditional fairs and festivals to relive the nostalgia and click the best pictures as per the given theme. Akademi organized various phototalks, photo-walks, workshops and camps across India under this campaign to promote the contest and to create awareness on Photography. The participants submitted their pictures on mygov.in and Google form portal.
The Exhibition is open for public from 19th August to 17th September, 2023 from 10am to 5pm at the food court area of Amrit Udyan. No special entry pass is required as anyone can enter from gate no 35 of Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Ministry of Finance
CBDT notifies the Protocol amending the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement  between India and Kuwait
A Protocol to amend the existing Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement  between India and Kuwait signed on 15.06.2006 for the avoidance of double taxation and for the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income was signed on 15.01.2017. The said Protocol has entered into force on 26.03.2018 and is notified in Official Gazette on 04.05.2018.
The Protocol updates the provisions in the DTAA for exchange of information as per international standards. Further, the Protocol enables sharing of the information received from Kuwait for tax purposes with other law enforcement agencies with authorisation of the competent authority of Kuwait and vice versa.
Ministry of Electronics & IT
MeitY Secretary Shri Alkesh Kumar Sharma launches the ‘Graphene-Aurora Program’
Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology  Secretary Shri Alkesh Kumar Sharma launched the ‘Graphene-Aurora program’ at a function in Maker Village Kochi, Kerala today.
The program shall be implemented by Digital University Kerala with joint funding from Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology , Government of India and Government of Kerala and Industry partners, with the total budget outlay of Rs 94.85 Crore, wherein, Carborundum Pvt Limited joined as one of the main industry partners. Along with the startup products developed, the technologies and products also developed at research and development centers like India Innovation Centre Graphene , setup at Makers village, Kochi shall be considered for commercialization.
Addressing the gathering, Shri Alkesh Kumar Sharma said that a section 8 company  called ‘India Graphene Engineering and Innovation Centre ’ shall be set up and the initial operations will start from the recently opened facility of Government of Kerala at Digital Science Park in Trivandrum. It shall fill the gap between R&D and commercialization by providing a complete facility to startup and industry.
The Secretary, MeitY mentioned that it shall nurture the deep/emerging Graphene technology & innovation ecosystem that can guide, develop, implement, and support SMEs and startups to commercialize developed graphene technologies for scale adoption. He also mentioned that creation of a commercialization eco-system for graphene as an emerging technology would help India take a pole position in the world’s new material market.
Shri Alkesh Kumar Sharma also announced the progress and contributions of Maker Village, to the development of hardware startups in the country, and assured MeitY’s support for the creation of a complete ecosystem for Electronics Product Testing. He also appreciated the outcomes of other MeitY funded Centre of Excellence on IIOT Sensors and India Innovation Centre for Graphene that complements the solutions from materials, sensors to system integration that electronic product development.
Dr Rathan Kelkar, IAS, Secretary, Department of Electronics and IT, GoK; Shri. Suman Billa IAS, Principal Secretary Industries Department, GoK; Dr. Saji Gopinath, Vice Chancellor, Digital University Kerala; Smt Sunita Verma, Group Coordinator, MeitY; Prof Alex James, CI, Graphene Aurora program, and Shri Kamesh Gupta, Co-CI, Graphene Aurora; Dr. P S Jayan, Carborundum Private limited were also present on the occasion.
AYUSH
Bureau of Indian Standards notifies 31 Indian standards related to Ayush herbs and products
Ministry of Ayush appreciates the initiative; "development of standards and certification of Ayush will augment international trade & benefit consumers too"
Bureau of Indian Standards has also established an additional department with a dedicated focus on Ayush
The Bureau of Indian Standards , the national standard body of India, mandated for the development of the activities of standardization, marking and quality certification has taken an important step in a new push for standardization in the field of Ayush. BIS has notified 31 Indian standards related to Ayush, which includes 30 herbs and 1 product . These standards were recently published through gazette notification. BIS has also created an additional department for enabling dedicated focus on Ayush at BIS.
Ministry of Ayush appreciates this step and believes that this endeavor by BIS for development of standards and accreditation/certification of Ayush will augment international trade by ensuring quality of products & services, provide confidence to the manufactures and bring benefits to consumers in terms of reducing costs, enhancing performance and improving safety.
Recently, BIS has added another pillar to its robust structure of standardisation in India by establishing an additional department with a dedicated focus on Ayush at BIS. It is believed that the move will not only provide an impetus to the process of standardization but also will aid Ministry of Ayush objectives to ensure quality of Ayush products and services at all levels.
BIS has also taken the initiative to formulate International Standards in collaboration with the International Organization for Standardization . On the advice of BIS, a Working Group  on ‘Traditional Medicine’ has been created in the ISO/TC-215 ‘Health Informatics’.
The globalisation and increasing usage of traditional systems of medicine, the need for national and international standards for Ayush systems has become imperative. Ministry of Ayush has been consistently working to create a vibrant quality ecosystem to facilitate trade and ensure the availability of quality products and services to consumers both at the national and global levels.
Prime Minister's Office
List of Outcomes : State visit of H.E. Samia Suluhu Hassan, President of the United Republic of Tanzania to India 
MoUs and Agreements exchanged
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S.No.
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Name of MoU/Agreement
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Representative from Tanzanian side
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Representative from Indian side
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- 1.
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Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology of the Republic of India and the Ministry of Information, Communication and Information Technology of the United Republic of Tanzania on cooperation in the field of sharing successful digital solutions implemented at population scale for digital transformation
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H.E. Nape M. Nnauye, Minister for Information, Communication and Information Technology of Tanzania
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Dr. S. Jaishankar,
Minister of External Affairs of India
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- 2.
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Technical Agreement between The Indian Navy of the Republic of India and Tanzania Shipping Agencies Corporation of the United Republic of Tanzania on Sharing White Shipping Information
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H.E. Mr. January Y. Makamba,
Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation of Tanzania
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Dr. S. Jaishankar,
Minister of External Affairs of India
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- 3.
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Cultural Exchange Programme between the Government of the Republic of India and the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania for the Years 2023-2027
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H.E. January Y. Makamba,
Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation of Tanzania
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Dr. S. Jaishankar,
Minister of External Affairs of India
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- 4.
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Memorandum of Understanding  between National Sports Council of Tanzania and Sports Authority of India on cooperation in the field of sports
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H.E. Mr. January Y. Makamba,
Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation of Tanzania
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Dr. S. Jaishankar,
Minister of External Affairs of India
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- 5.
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MoU between Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority under Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways of the Republic of India and Tanzania Investment Centre of the United Republic of Tanzania for setting up of an Industrial Park in Tanzania
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H.E. Prof. Kitila A. Mkumbo,
Minister of State, Planning and Investment of Tanzania
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Dr. S. Jaishankar,
Minister of External Affairs of India
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- 6.
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MoU between Cochin Shipyard Ltd. and Marine Services Co. Ltd. on Cooperation in Maritime Industry
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Amb. Ms. Anisa K. Mbega,High Commissioner of Tanzania to India
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Shri Binaya Srikanta Pradhan, High Commissioner of India to Tanzania
Special Service and Features
BSF SEEMA BHAWANI SHAURYA EXPEDITION “EMPOWERMENT RIDE 2022” ORGANIZED IN ASSOCIATION WITH ROYAL ENFIELD REACHES KANYAKUMARI
BSF Seema Bhawani Shaurya Expedition “Empowerment Ride – 2022” was flagged in to a grand welcome at Kanyakumari today on 26th March 2022 by Chief Guest Sh Baby Joseph, DIG BSF. Organized in association with Royal Enfield, 36 members of BSF Seema Bhawani All-Women Daredevil Motorcycle Team led by Inspector Himanshu Sirohi completed a gruelling journey of more than 5000 km traversing through major cities all the way to Kanyakumari which started from historical India Gate, New Delhi spreading the message of Women Empowerment across the nation.
On this occasion, the Chief Guest highlighted the important role of women in the development of the country and appreciated the tireless efforts of all Women Riders of this Expedition who brought laurels to the force as well as inspiring the young girls across the country. DG BSF Shri Pankaj Kumar Singh also congratulated all the riders on the successful completion of this expedition and spreading the message of Women Empowerment for which the expedition was planned.
All along the journey, the Seema Bhawani riders were joined by riding communities as well as youth, who cheered them on, applauding their determination and fortitude while on this challenging expedition. The BSF Seema Bhawani Shaurya Expedition “Empowerment Ride – 2022” witnessed exhilarating moments of team spirit and camaraderie from the riders, encouraged by the amazing support from enthralled audiences along the route.
BSF Seema Bhawani All-Women Daredevil Motorcycle Team was raised in the year 2016, and has some magnificent and stunning performances to its credit including having displayed their skills twice on the occasion of Republic Day Parade at Rajpath, New Delhi in 2018 and 2022.
BSF Seema Bhawani Shaurya Expedition “Empowerment Ride – 2022” traversed through various historical landmarks beginning from India Gate in Delhi, iconic Wagah Attari Border in Punjab and historical Statue of Unity in Gujarat before finally flagged in at Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu. The expedition passed through Chandigarh, Amritsar, Attari, Bikaner, Jaipur, Udaipur, Gandhinagar, Kevadia, Nasik, Solapur, Hyderabad, Anantapur, Bangalore, Kanyakumari and will further reach its final destination in Chennai on 28 Mar’ 2022.
ND ERL
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Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs
Diu Smart City becomes first to run on 100% Renewable Energy during Daytime
Prototype being tested in Bengaluru Smart City to develop Intelligent Traffic Management Solution
Night bazaar envisaged as part of Jaipur Smart City
Diu Smart City has become the first city in India, that runs on 100% renewable energy during daytime setting a new benchmark for other cities to become clean and green. Diu had been importing 73% of its power from Gujarat until last year. It has now adopted a two-pronged approach whereby a 9 MW solar park spread over 50 hectares rocky barren land has been developed besides installing solar panels on the roof tops on 79 government buildings thereby generating 1.3 MW annually. To further enhance its solar capacity, Diu offers its residents a subsidy of Rs 10, 000-50,000 for installing 1-5KW roof top solar panels. Diu is saving about 13,000 tonnes of carbon emissions every year. Due to low-cost solar energy, power tariffs have been cut in residential category by 10% last year and 15% this year.
To improve traffic management in Bengaluru Smart City, a prototype of an intelligent traffic management solution is currently being tested in collaboration with the Electronics City Township Authority . It will provide traffic information that is currently unavailable, and help improve management of commuter traffic. It involves capturing video streams from several cameras and processing them using artificial intelligence so that typical traffic management tasks such as vehicle detection, traffic density estimation and control of traffic lights can be automated for real-time performance.
To revitalise urban public spaces and socially activating the area besides generating economic activity, Jaipur Smart City Ltd  has planned to develop night bazaar at Chaura Rasta, in the heart of Pink city. The JSCL would register up to 700 vendors who will be allowed to set up stalls, including eateries, between 9pm and 1am. The project will provide entertainment, culture and shopping to citizens after office hours.
RJ/SB
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